


Hollowed Defiance

by JaneAudron



Category: XCOM (Video Games) & Related Fandoms
Genre: Aliens, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Related, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Deaths, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Romance, F/M, Gen, Gore, Original Factions, Orignal Aliens, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Swearing, Unnecessary amounts of cuddling, War, some canon divergence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-12
Updated: 2018-12-12
Packaged: 2019-09-17 01:53:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16965474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JaneAudron/pseuds/JaneAudron
Summary: It was a new world Jynn found herself waking up to, so much had changed within those 20 years of experimentation and imprisonment in that suit. She was thankful to be free of that hell but hesitant to take on the roll she found herself thrusted back into. Commander of XCOM, a mere memory of what it once was. They had a lot on their plate, build up the resistance, sabotage ADVENT and the aliens, and take back the Earth from the Elders.It was no help that the Elders wanted her back badly. Hunting them down like a pack of wild dogs, undermining their cause at every turn. And then those Chosen, another layer of annoyance XCOM and the Resistance had to deal with. Just how integral was she their to their Psionic Network? Was there something more?





	Hollowed Defiance

**Author's Note:**

> Taking a step into fic writing and mildly self-indulgent. This fic has been sitting at the back of my mind for sometime, well most of it since the first XCOM, but I'm finally getting it out. Characterization may be a bit off, working on how to capture that correctly.
> 
> I have a lot of ideas and there will be some canon divergence/non-canon happening. The fall of XCOM is different when I get there via flashbacks and there will be various original characters, original aliens, and original factions. Also will include some The Bureau: XCOM Declassified into the mix.
> 
> This will be update sporadically as my writing comes and goes and then I'm busy with other work such as my art. So kinda written in my spare time. Also with getting back into writing I'm a bit rusty so some things may be oddly written and there may be some errors I've missed.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!  
> Crossposted to my tumblrs: janeaudron.tumblr.com & riversintothevoid.tumblr.com

XCOM had done it. They had finally found her. The fabled Commander that was captured the day XCOM fell. Now they couldn’t claim all of the work; they had Reapers and Skirmishers to thank for relaying the information to them. Though the operation to rescue her cost the lives of two soldiers their sacrifices would not be in vain.  
  
The first few days were touch and go for the Commander once they pried her out of that stasis suit and removed that chip buried halfway in her brain. Central was quick to notice how her most of appearance hadn’t changed since that she had been captured; how she seemed to be untouched by time. Yet the condition the aliens kept her in wasn’t perfect. She was gaunt, frail. Muscle atrophy was extremely apparent and who knew what else was possible wrong with her.  
Dr. Tygan and his fellow doctors they had kept a close watch on her. Dr. Tygan immediately began to pour many hours into examining the chip they pulled out of her. He recognized the design of the chip and it worried him.  
While he was doing that, her orders the other doctors to take blood samples and run tests to see what the aliens may have done to her. He would personally look at the results once he was done analyzing the chip.  
  
Central visited the infirmary everyday to see how she was doing. He would spend a few hours by her bedside in silence, deep in his thoughts. His mind was still trying to process everything. They found her but this state she was in, he wasn’t fully expecting it. In a way he did expect the worse; part of him felt like they would never find her or if they did, she would be dead. But this state, what had ADVENT and the aliens done to her? What was that chip? And why hadn’t she aged?  
His thoughts worried him. It didn’t help his mind kept replying what happened moments after Dr. Tygan pulled the chip from her. How her body stiffened and contorted before she suddenly shot up and let out a ghoulish groan of a shriek, her eyes glazed over, before she collapsed, flatlining for a few seconds before suddenly stabilizing. That shriek sounded so inhuman to everyone, especially Central. He hoped it meant nothing, yet the shriek kept plaguing his thoughts and some of his nightmares.  
  
Central had to pull himself out of the dark parts of his mind on several occasions. Last thing he needed to do was visit the bar and nurse an old habit. He could only imagine the disappointed look the Commander would give him if she was awake.  
Whenever he felt his mind slipping off to negative thoughts, he would try to focus on something else, something less negative. He decided to focus on her appearance to keep his mind sane. Each visit, Central would examine her appearance and make small comments here and there. What had and hadn’t changed about her over those 20 years, besides her emancipated appearance, she looked like she hadn’t aged a day. He slowly theorized they had her in some kind of stasis which was quickly confirmed by Tygan within a few days.  
  
He decided to focus on her head on one of his visits. He was currently hovering by her bedside. His finger tracing her hairline and a few scars.  
“Shaved… makes sense with her being in that suit.” He remembered how it looked like years ago, how long it was, and how she liked to keep it in a braided bun.  
“Wonder how long it will take for your hair to grow back.” He mumbled. He dragged his finger across some fuzz. A little bit was already starting to grow again. “Hopefully not to long… wonder how you’ll take it when you wake up.”  
“May remind you of your brother’s prank that day.” A chuckle escaped from his lips as he remembered their younger days. A particular memory came to his mind; her brother dyeing her hair a horrendously bright pink while they were on a camping trip. He still questioned how her brother managed to pull it off but her reaction was priceless.  
“Oh you got so mad that day.” He chuckled some more. “You chased your brother around the campsite and up and down the canyon for a good while before you finally caught him.”  
 “You tackled him so hard you broke his collarbone.” He shook his head and let out a soft laugh. “That day was ridiculous and your father was disappointed in you two and your mother was just laughing.”  
Good times. Good times long gone.  
  
A pained mumble pulled him from his thoughts.  
“Hm?”  
 The Commander shifted about for a bit. He pulled his hand away from her seeing her move around uncomfortably. He watched her eyes, dancing frantically behind her lids.  
“Hope you’re not having a nightmare friend.” He sighed. He wondered what was going though her mind and prayed she was having no nightmares. Last thing she needed.  
Central stuck around for another hour before leaving to go to the shooting range to train some new soldiers for a few hours before turning in for the day.  
———————————————————————  
  
Later that night Central woke up in a cold sweat, startled and breathing erratically. His eyes darted around the room before he slowly started to calm down. His eyes looked at his clock.  
4:00 AM  
Another nightmare, another sleepless night whether he liked it or not. The senior officer let out a disgruntled sigh as he collapsed back into his bed.  
“Damn nightmares… that damn shriek she made.” That day was still bothering him and had started to slowly infiltrate his nightmares, making some of them worse. He rubbed his face furiously, trying to calm himself down.  
“She’ll be fine John. She’s a fighter.”  
  
From the corner of his eye he noticed his communicator blinking on the nightstand. He grumbled, raising himself back up to grab it. “Better not be a complaint.” He put in on  
“What is it?”  
“Took you forever to answer.” He female voice chuckled.  
“What is it Shen?” Central was in no mood for jokes.  
“Tygan had me call you. He wants you to come to the infirmary.”  
“What for?”  
“The Commander is awake.”  
“What!?” News he wasn’t expecting. He quickly cleared his throat and recomposed himself. “Are you sure about that?”  
“Yes, I am. I’m in the infirmary. Tygan wanted me to take a look at some data dealing with the chip.” She said.  
“Okay, I’ll be down shortly.” Central quickly got out of bed.  
“Alright, I’ll tell Tygan and just a warning,” she paused for a moment, “the Commander is a bit out of it.”  
“Mm hm. Isn’t that to be expected?” He was currently getting dressed, trying to get his pants on as quick as possible.  
“Yes, but Tygan feels like something is off.”  
“Off?” Not something he wanted to hear.  
“It’s hard to describe, just get down here as soon as you can.” Shen said. “I may be gone before you get here.”  
“Alright. See you guys in a bit.”  
  
Central finished getting himself dressed and headed to the infirmary as fast as he could. His mind raced. What did Shen mean by the Commander was a bit out of it? He remembered Tygan telling him she would most likely be disoriented when she would wake up but with how Shen sounded it had him worried. Hopefully it wasn’t complications from the chip removal.  
As he arrived outside the infirmary, he had to take a moment to calm himself.  
“Stay positive.”  
  
With a calmer mind, he entered the infirmary and headed over to where they had been keeping the Commander. He froze for a moment when he saw her. She was awake and the doctors were pouring over her with new tests.  
Yet he saw what Shen meant by “off”. Just from his short observations, he could tell the Commander wasn’t responding to the doctors as they poked and prodded at her. To him it looked she was spacing out, like her mind was somewhere else.  
  
“Central.” Dr. Tygan noticed him.  
Hearing his name being called snapped him back to reality. “Doctor.” He nodded in his direction before going over to him. “How is she doing?”  
“She’s doing fine.” Tygan’s eyes were half fixed on his data pad. “All her vitals signs are positive.”  
“Good.” Central nodded.  
“Most of the mental and physical tests are also positive.” He let Central take a quick look at some of the test information on the pad.  
“Most?” He had to question that.  
“As you observed as you came in, she’s not exactly talking and her mind seems to be somewhere else.”  
“Right I noticed that.” Central shook his head. He held back a sigh. “Any clue why she’s like this?”  
“Possible temporary after affects after removing the chip.” Tygan started to theorize.  
Central grimaced at the mere mention of that.  
“Possible shock from being removed from that suit. Shock from being thrown into a whole new world unfamiliar to her mind,” the doctor continued, “it has been 20 years for her.”  
“Right.” Central liked this theory more than possible brain damage from that chip.  
  
Central asked the Tygan a few more questions and listened to the various results and theories he had to say. He kept his eyes focus on the Commander and the doctors pouring over her. He watched as they tended over an empty shell oblivious to the world around her. His heart ached seeing his close friend in such a state. Was there any trace of the old her after what the aliens had done?  
He pushed the negative thoughts to the back of his mind for the time being. Feeling like he heard enough of what Tygan had to say he cleared his throat.  
“Getting a bit to deep in your science for me Tygan.” Central shook his head.  
“Sorry but you did ask.” Tygan smirked.  
“Right, right.” He shook his head.  
  
“Anyway…,” the central officer paused, a bit hesitant to put his thoughts into action, “is it alright if I try to talk to her?” He asked. “Possible try to get a response out of her?”  
Tygan thought for a moment. He began to tap at his lips and nod his head. “Hmmm perhaps…” He started to head over to where the Commander was being treated.  
“Perhaps what doctor?” Central hated when he would walk off in the middle of talking.  
“Perhaps talking with someone she is familiar with can help out of this state.” The doctor continued. “Help ease her from the shock of the chip and suit removal.”  
  
Once they were at where the Commander was, Tygan instructed the doctors to quickly finish up the current test there were doing to give her a small break.  
“Which would be a good thing.” Central was happy that Tygan seemed to be liking his idea.  
“But.”  
“But what?” There was always a catch.  
“Are her memories of the past still intact?” He turned to face Central. “Would she still remember you?”  
Central was about to speak but he stopped.  The question stunned him; the doctor had a point. He had changed quite a bit over those 20 years. He hated to think that the Commander had forgotten him or worse, the aliens had tampered with her memory.  
“From what I’ve read from the previous XCOM personnel and what you shared with me about your past, you have gone through a lot and changed quite a bit.” Tygan said.  
Central lowered his head, pinching the bridge of his noise as he let out a heavy sigh. Something else he didn’t want to hear. It never crossed his mind that she possible wouldn’t even recognize him due to the time gap. “Well, let’s hope she remembers something.”  
  
Once the doctors finished their task, Tygan gestured for Central to go over to her. Central was hesitant at first, but took steps toward her before sitting down next to her.  
He glanced at her. Not a single flinch, no hint of acknowledgement, her mind was still off somewhere else. He bit his lip. What to say to grab her attention?  
“Hey…” He raised his hand, placing it gently on her shoulder. “Reeves.” He called her by her last name.  
She didn’t flinch. Still no acknowledgement.  
“Commander Reeves.” He said firmly. Maybe adding her title would help.  
Still no response.  
“Commander Reeves.” He said once again, this time gently gripping her shoulder.  
Again no response from this ghostly shell.  
He held back a sigh. What to do now?  
  
“Say her name.” Somewhere deep in his mind told him.  
“Already have.” He thought back.  
“Her full name her you idiot.” His inner voice sneered back.  
“… Didn’t think about that.”  
“Because you didn’t want to. It hurts thinking about it.”  
“Right, right.” Central sighed mentally.  
“Go back, way back to see if that triggers her name.”  
He sighed once more. It wouldn’t hurt to try.  
  
“Jynn Gresham Reeves.” He spoke her full name. “Commander Jynn Gresham Reeves.” He had to add her title.  “Born in 1976, Novermeber 25, on Thanksgiving Day if I remember correctly.” He didn’t know why he added that, but it felt right to say it. “Born to General Johhanus G. Reeves and his wife Mali Isi Reeves.”  
He continued on talking about a few others things, bringing up her younger brother Charles, and then a little bit on how the two meet. Tygan was silently taking notes on the information, information that he could tell Central had been withholding. He would add it to the logs later, but keep most of it private. Central continued to talk until he felt like said all there was to say. Still the Commander was silent and stiff as stone.  
  
“Dammit please say something.” He cursed in his mind. Was it all for nothing.  
“Mm…” A mutter came from the Commander’s lips.  
That caught both Tygan’s and Central’s attention. Central’s grip on her should accidentally tightened.  
“Mm…” She croaked a bit, her head bobbed a bit. What would she say?  
Central was dying to know.  
She continued to mutter and croak out words but nothing passable. She raised her hand to her throat and rubbed it. Noticing that, Tygan quickly went to fetch some water for her. “Hmm…” She raised her head, eyes squinting due to the light. Her eyes glanced about, taking in the odd surroundings. Eventually he eyes feel on the two, the man in the lab coat coming back with a bottle of water, and then the man sitting next to her, grizzled and tired yet he looked familiar to her.  
“Hmm…” She croaked again, smacking her lips as her mind slowly processed the information.  
“Here.” Tygan handed the bottle to Central.  
“Smart thinking.” He took the bottle from him and quickly opened it. He gently pressed the bottle to her lips, tipping it slightly. “Drink.”  
Her eyes focused on him for a moment before switching the bottle. It seemed like she didn’t hear until the cool liquid touched her lips and that was it. At first she took a sip, then another, and another before she wrapped her hands around the bottle and started to down.  
“Easy now! Easy!”  Central wasn’t expecting her to just snatch the bottle from him and was surprised by how she quickly downed it.  
She let out a few coughs once she finished before looking at him once more.  
Central was a bit too busy trying to get the now empty bottle from her hands. “Must have been really thirsty.” He grumbled once he got it from her oddly strong grip. But was that a good sign?  
“I’ll go get another.” Tygan said.  
“That’s a good idea, might as well get a bit of food for her to eat.” He added.  
  
“B-B-Brad…ford…” The Commander’s voice croaked.  
Both Tygan and Central froze in their tracks, nearly dropping what was in their hands.  
“What did you say?” Central asked.  
She cleared her voice and tried to speak once more. “B-Bradfo..rd. Jo-oohn?” She raised a shaky hand to touch his face. “You…lok…d-diffe-r-rent.”  
He was stunned by what she said. She said his name, more or less. She recognized him. Tears began to form as she touched his face. He was quickly to wipe them away and let out a chuckle. “Yeah, I look different Commander.”  
“How? Why?” She asked. He hand gently traced his features new and old. That scar on his face and the stubble weren’t there before from what she remembered.  
Central glanced at Tygan who gave him a so-so gesture. “It’s a long story Commander,” he shook his head, “which would be best if we told you when you’re doing better.”  
“We?” She glanced at what she assumed was the doctor.  
“Yes, again it’s a long story, but this is Dr. Tygan.” He gestured to the doctor.  Tygan nodded in response.  
“Hm…” She took note before looking back at Central. “Where… am I?”  
“Aboard the Avenger, again it’s a long story Commander.” He wished he could tell her more but it was best until their waited.  
“Avenger? What… about the base?”  
“It’s… it’s gone Commander.”  
“Gone?” That didn’t sound right.  
“Again… it’s a long story. A very long story.” Central stated.  
“We do not want to overload you with too much new information Commander.” Tygan added.  
She looked at the two before looking back at the ground as her mind slowly processed the information.  
  
“Hmm….” She mumbled before looking at Central. “We lost… didn’t we?” Her mind quickly pieced that together. The memories of that day were faint but slowly coming back.  
Central sadly nodded. “Yes.”  
“I-I was captured… wasn’t I?”  She looked away.  
“Yes.” He nodded again.  
“How long?” She looked at him again  
Central looked away from her. He didn’t want to say. Not yet.  
“How long?” She raised her voice, slightly croaking.  
“…20 years.” He told her.  
“20… years?” She didn’t believe him at first.  
“Yes, 20 years…”  
  
Her eyes lit up, shocked by what he said. 20 years. Captured for 20 long years. Now she understood why they wanted to wait to tell her somethings. Her mind and heart raced at this revelation.  
“Central…” Tygan grumbled. He wished he hadn’t had answered her. He quickly came over to watch her vitals.  
“Sorry.” Central gruffly replied. He turned his attention back to the Commander who looked utterly shocked and terrified. “Calm down.” He gently paced his hand on her shoulder. He was surprised to feel her tremble under his touch.  
Jynn started to draw her knees to her chest, slowly curling up on herself. She wasn’t taking the news to well.  
  
It took a bit of work from both Central and Tygan to calm her down, but once she was calm she was already asleep. That little panic tired her out.  
“Let us try not to hold back on telling her information like that until she’s better.” Tygan said in a slightly disgruntled tone.  
“Sorry about that doctor, didn’t think she would react like that.” Central scratched the back of his head. “How long until she’s better?”  
“Depends on how quickly she rebounds mentally and physically, but I can see about a week for her mentally but several weeks to a few months for her physically.”  He explained.  
“Great, great.”  Central grumbled. “At least that better than nothing.”  
“Right.” The doctor nodded.  
“Keep me posted on her health doctor.”  
“Will do.”  
  
Before leaving, Central gently placed his hand on the Commander’s shoulder. “Welcome back Commander.” He smiled.  
With that Central headed off the the mess hall. He was hungry and knew he wouldn’t be getting sleep anytime soon. He was tempted to stop at the bar and get a drink, but it was best if he didn’t. After a quick bite to eat, he headed to the nerve center to see if anything new was happening.  
———————————————  
Within a week the Commander’s mind was at a state Tygan felt like they could start telling her about what had happened and how the world had changed. He let Central do the task since she was most comfortable around him. It was not a fun task as there were many negative reactions to what he told her but thankfully no panic attacks.  
 The next week, she could stand on her own and stomach a few things. After a few more health tests they decided they could move her to the quarters they prepared for her so she could have more privacy. Central let her know she could look at the ship’s computer to catch up on things while he wasn’t around and busy elsewhere.  
Central had to handle the crews doubts about the Commander. Even with the good news of her recovering, they doubted she was as special as he and a few others said she was. He especially hated having to talk to Volk. He was thankful that the Reapers helped with tracking her down, but hated how much doubt he had in the Commander’s recovery and if she would be what was needed to win this war.  
He hated to admit it, but he had his own doubts. He hoped, he prayed they weren’t true.


End file.
